Covid-19 Depression

I’m sure someone can relate to the thoughts going through my head as we near the one month mark of being in quarantine. I’ll be the first to admit that I made fun of this all before it hit us. I never thought I’d honestly see the day. Or maybe the humor was a way of me coping with what was to come. Now that we are living a real life horror story I find myself not knowing how to cope. My depression is at the highest peak, like I’m standing on top of Mount Everest looking down at my fate. I’m drowning in thoughts that just never stop racing. I’m sad for my kiddos that don’t understand what’s happening and why they can’t go to Walmart to check out the toys. They’re running out of things to keep them entertained in a small house, but who can blame them considering they’re only 4. Things could be worse and I’m well aware, that doesn’t make my feelings invalid. I know I could be suffering from the virus or have to watch someone I care about get sick, but it is still hard to feel so trapped.

Why am I telling you all this? So you know it’s ok and normal to have all these thoughts. Most of us have never been through something so huge, and i hope we never have to again. I want you to know you aren’t alone and your feelings matter.

It’s ok to be sad your kids are missing school.

It’s ok to be angry your income was taken away.

It’s ok to feel so anxious you can’t sleep.

It’s ok to be upset you’re missing your baby shower, wedding, birthday, etc.

It’s ok to miss going shopping just because.

It’s ok to be overwhelmed being with your family 24/7.

It’s ok to feel like your kids are driving you crazy. Trust me the feelings mutual on their side I’m sure!

What isn’t ok is telling someone else how they should feel. You aren’t that person. You don’t know how their mind works. You don’t know what they’re going through. Stop criticizing others for how they are coping. We are all in this together (thanks Zac Efron) and we have to keep on going. For each other and for our families.

Someday soon (I hope) we can all look back on this and see how strong we all were.

XO

Taylor

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Toddler St. Patty’s Day Craft

I don’t know about you but I love finding easy DIY crafts my toddlers can do, especially for each holiday. It keeps them away from screen time, (I’m not knocking it, trust me they get their share!) and gives them a break from pulling each other’s hair! My girls are 3 and 4 so they still make a mess when crafting, so the easier the better! With St Patty’s day coming up we decided to make a pot of gold to trap a leprechaun! A mom can dream that there will real gold, right?! I guess we will see if I wake up to some!

So as you know, the dollar store is my favorite. If I can’t buy it there, I don’t need it! So we took a quick trip to pick up some supplies. We picked up a few extra supplies we thought we might use but didn’t, so we will save them for a rainy day! We printed out a gold pot to use as a stencil to trace and cut. We ended up not having black construction paper (mom fail!) so I let them pick their favorite color to use. Momma took care of the cutting, and the girls did the gluing. Now it’s time for the messy part, so prepare yourself and your kids (and your home!). I had them use the paint to do fingerprints and shape the rainbow. As you can see, one child decided to do her rainbow a little abstract!

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They had so much fun making theirs unique to their personalities and they got along for more than five minutes! I highly recommend activities where they can get their hands dirty, even if it can be a pain to clean up! It keeps them busy and lets them get creative! Stay tuned for our next super easy holiday craft!

Xoxo,

Taylor

Hello Anxiety

You never know just how awful a mental illness can be until you find yourself smack dab in the middle. The chest tightening, walls collapsing, sweaty palms, dizziness, babbling speech, weak knees, you name it. It all can come at any time. Being told you have bipolar, severe anxiety, ptsd, and depression is a little unnerving and a lot to take in. How will I handle it? How will others perceive me? Will my loved ones understand and support me? What’s wrong with me? What did I do to deserve this?

Looking back now I know I had anxiety at an early age, but I never had the words to explain what I was feeling. There were certain times in my life that elevated it, and times I thought I had it controlled. After losing my dad I was at an all time low. I thought I’d never make it through and I couldn’t get a grip on my feelings. I had to quit my job and get the help I needed to understand my anxiety. I was an emotional mess at any given moment at work and couldn’t give it my all. That’s when I found out it wasn’t just anxiety. It was deeper. Although hearing it was scary, it was somewhat a relief to know there was help out there. What I was feeling wasn’t crazy, it was legitimate thoughts running through my head. I could go on about all of those feelings, but that’s for another day.

Which brings me to what is out there to help if you are suffering and need help? Do you just let it go and hope it gets better? Try to self medicate with all the wrong things? Or do you push it until you can’t handle it anymore like I did? I went through three doctors before finding the one. THREE! Do not be afraid to advocate for yourself and your mental health. Some doctors will just prescribe you something and not really listen. I had doctors turn their cheek when I would go back saying it didn’t work, or I was feeling sick. There are many doctors out there that you are just another face and number to them. You will encounter them. If you are lucky you’ll find the best one, the first time. Do not be afraid to speak up because only you know how you’re feeling. It took me over a year to find the right medicines and right doctor. I didn’t want to be “that girl” who was on medicine, but you know what…it saved me. It saves me every single day. I really don’t care that there are people out there that think taking a pill to save your life is wrong, it isn’t their life to live. Find the things that work for YOU. What works for me, might not work for you! Some can cope without medicine, and some need it. We are all warriors. Get up everyday and do the damn thing girl. We can all get through this together.

xoxo

Taylor

Living in leggings

Staying home with three kiddos everyday can be tiring. Do not get me wrong I am blessed beyond belief, however it leaves very little time for myself. I do not have the luxury of always wearing cute boutique clothing day in and day out. Hey I like a good pair of jeans and sweater but it’s just not my thing right now.

Comfort is huge for me. If it’s not comfortable to take care of kids in, count me out sister. This is my outfit of choice and I’m not sorry about it! A good pair of leggings and cute cropped sweatshirt is where it’s at for me. Between making bottles and chasing some crazy toddlers around that like to play jack ass, you know how that goes. I have to be ready in a split second to grab a toddler off the stairs who wants to see if a balloon can float her down. The answer to that is no in case you’re wondering! It also is easy for me to squeeze in a workout if I don’t need to hurry up and change. I get very few moments to myself so if I’m wearing it I am more likely to sneak in some cardio.

I find most of my comfy outfits at the beloved TJ Maxx. Their prices are right on most things and the clothes are quality. I tend to head towards the area where the workout clothes are. You’ll find some good tummy control leggings there for those of us that rock a mom bod! This time around I scored some super cute tye dye crop top sweatshirts. I was so scared to try and pull it off since I have some extra belly that’s sticking around. But paired with some high waisted leggings I honestly feel good! Who said comfy clothes have to be ugly? I still want to feel pretty when I’m home, it keeps me from feeling frumpy. Are there days I stay in pajama pants? Absolutely girlfriend. Are there days I do dress myself up with makeup and curls? Still absolutely.

This is me in the raw. I’m not perfectly perfect but I’m comfortable with being me.

Xoxo

Taylor

DIY Farmhouse decor

Raise your hand if you get overly into some HGTV home makeover shows. Just me? I love a good Joanna Gaines fixer upper and dream about having my house completely done in farmhouse decor. Mark my words, it will happen someday! For now I will take some small decor that I can make myself in no time at all. I absolutely love mason jars so of course I had to incorporate them somehow. This wall sconce is so easy to make, and super easy to change the style each holiday.

Things needed:

• 12 or 16 ounce mason jar
• Piece of wood in preferred length
• Chalk paint
• Twine
• Greenery
• Hose clamp (found in plumbing section at Lowe’s)
• Wood stain

I suggest starting with staining the wood so that it can dry while you get the rest of the project ready. While that dried I gave the mason jar a quick coat of chalk paint. I only did one coat so that it stayed a little opaque and rustic looking, you can’t go wrong with whichever color paint you pick! The hose clamp just needs secured with a nail so that it’s safe to hang. Once the mason jar and wood are completely dry you just need to attach the jar to the hose clamp tightly. I like to leave the extra clamp on there, but if you have a saw or strong wire cutters you could trim it to your desired length.

I may be awful at hanging things straight, I’ll be the first to admit that!

This is where you get creative and add your own touches. I like to use the twine to hang, as well as wrapped around the mason jar. Since I’m feeling all the springs vibes, I chose to add some greenery to help spring come sooner! If it’s a holiday you could add different colored flowers, or even fresh flowers each week. I love that you can change this out as much as you want so it will always match your decor.

Joana Gaines has nothing on me after this! Maybe she will hire me to help decorate, or maybe I’m jumping the gun a little too much! Stay tuned for some more DIY farmhouse inspired looks in the upcoming months!

xo,

Taylor

Jurassic Quest

This past weekend we were given the opportunity to attend Jurassic Quest in the gorgeous city of Pittsburgh. My inner child was screaming with excitement. Honestly I’m not sure who was more excited, me or the girls! We are always searching for fun family days out, especially mid winter when the cabin fever sets in strong. The event was held at the David L, Lawerence convention center right on the Allegheny river. I had never been here so I had no idea just how huge this place was! I mean you have to have a giant area to set up real life dinosaurs 😉 Parking was so convenient, and easy to find. Aside from Jurassic Quest being held there, there was also a cheer competition as well. I really dreaded trying to find parking, but to my surprise we got one on the first level of the parking garage! The girls were thrilled to walk into the building and see giant escalators that led up to the event. They loved looking out the glass floor to ceiling windows with the perfect view of PNC park in the background!

Since we were VIPs for the day the girls were given adorable backpacks with a toy dino inside. They definitely felt like rockstars! I was afraid it would be so crowded we wouldn’t be able to see much up close but they had it spaced out perfectly so that all the kids got a turn. I was so impressed with how great they looked set up. The T-Rex was a hit with me, but Hadley preferred the “scara-dactyl” since it was a little more her size! Some of the Dino’s were animatronic and had sound effects. They really went into all the fine details to put on this show.

It took us about an hour to walk through the dino area, they had so many! It really felt like we were back in the jurassic period. Once we got through that area they had multiple set ups for kids to do science experiments, crafts, and they even got to make their own fossil! They really thought of every detail to make it a special day for all the kiddos. It was well organized and we never waited in very long lines to get to do an activity.

There were giant dinosaurs that the kids could climb up and ride, bounce houses for every age, and a live dinosaur show where the kids could pet the babies, face painting, and even a fossil dig!

All in all, we give this two thumbs up! It was a perfect day out in the city and I recommend you take your family if given the chance. Snag yourself the VIP tickets so that your kids can ride unlimited dino rides! Thank you Jurassic Quest for having us, we can’t wait to visit again soon!

xo,

Taylor

Positive Affirmations For Your Kids

As a mom of three I am constantly trying to think of ways to keep their spirits high. They might only be toddlers, but hearing they are doing great at something can turn their day around with a smile on their face. I am guilty of losing my patience with my kids. Having a newborn in the house with them can lead to many meltdowns. Some from them, and a lot from me too. Hey, I am human right? I find myself snapping at them, leaving me to feel like the worst mom in the world. Trust me, I know that is far from the truth but in the moments after I feel it. Which brings me to why I think reminding your kids these things are powerful.

Whether you say these to their faces or come up with clever ideas to remind them, I’m sure they will love it either way. I love the idea of putting a small little notes in their lunch boxes to boost their attitude halfway through the school day. My girls start school next year so I am already prepping! Small gestures like this are so important in their individual growth as they find their way in this big world.

• YOU matter everyday
• Struggling makes you stronger
• Put in the effort everyday
• Choose positivity today
• You are BRAVE
• You can be anything you want to be
• Mistakes are how you grow
• There is always a reason to smile 🙂
• You have people that love you
• Today is a fresh start
• Doing your best is enough
• You inspire me
• You are a gift from God
• You were born to do great things
• I will always believe in you
• I am proud to call you my child
• You have a kind heart
• Always do what is right
• I’m here
• It is ok to fail

These tiny words can make a HUGE difference in a kids eyes. In todays world there is so much pressure to be perfect. Having a bad day doesn’t mean a child is bad. It is just that: A bad day. Remind them that you are there and they can not fail in their journey. Remaining a positive parent will result in positive kiddos. This could be the biggest gift you ever give your children.

xo,

Taylor

Cooperate world Mom

Life as a working mom…what’s it like is a question I get daily. It’s like a whirlwind of chaos both exhausting and beautiful. My days are spent away from my girls from 8-5, working full time in the cooperate world.

When I’m home it’s a war to find balance between house work and quality time. Don’t get me started on my own self care, being a wife, growing a new tiny human, and what is relaxation?! The hardest part of being away from them is watching someone else raise them. It gives me serious mom guilt to say the least. I miss doctors appointments, boo boo’s, cuddle time, and milestones.

On the flip side, me going to work everyday brings in extra money to spend on family adventures we wouldn’t get to do. I know at the end of the day I’m still their mommy, and I’m teaching them everything they need to know about this big world! Being a working mom is hard, and being a stay at home mom is hard. One doesn’t top the other and no mom is less of a mom for whichever they pick.

Keep pushing Momma, your kids are seeing everything you do for them and thank you at the end of the day.